Unravel - A Delena Fanfic
by of-hooks-and-swans
Summary: When Stefan and Caroline are kidnapped, Elena can't help but suspect that someone wants all the town's vampires dead. With the help of Damon, she must unravel the mystery and discover who - or what - is responsible.
1. One: A Figure in the Rain

_I do not own any of these characters. It would be awesome if I did, though, because we'd hang out and break into abandoned churches and bitch about stuff together and...I could fantasize about these guys all day. But I won't, as I have a story to tell. And here it is.__ ^-^_

Elena glanced up at the inky black sky with the large white sign contrasting against it. Emblazoned in bold orange font were the words '_MYSTIC FALLS CHARITY NIGHT'. _Elena peered into the forming crowd of high school students and the various stalls set up in a circle around them. There were stands selling cakes and pastries, hand-made cards and key-rings, and a few seniors in letterman jackets were running a basketball shoot-out. In the centre of the herd of teenagers was a girl with a head of perfectly curled blonde locks, giving out orders and conversing with her short, dark-haired friend. When they noticed Elena, they came rushing towards her, Caroline carrying her clipboard, and Bonnie clutching two lit candles.

"Elena!" Caroline exclaimed, and she pulled her friend into a warm hug. "I'm so glad you could make it."

Bonnie offered her candle to Elena. "Here," she said, the candle illuminating her coffee-coloured skin, "you'll be wanting this. It's so dark for this time of night."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You've said that, like, ten times already. I wasn't planning on it being a night-time event but we were held up. Good thing the store had loads of candles in stock." She looked Elena up and down, taking in her outfit. "Gosh, Elena, you look amazing!"

"Um..thanks," Elena replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Absently, she played with the hem of her purple halter-neck dress, before she was struck with a thought. "Hey, do you know if Stefan's here?"

Bonnie looked at Caroline, whose forehead had creased into a frown. "No, we haven't...seen him. Sorry, Elena."

Elena nodded and reached to touch the cool metal of the pendant on her neck. She hadn't seen him since that morning.

"I'm sure he'll show up," Caroline said, taking Elena's hand. "And besides, I haven't done anything like this for _ages, _not since...well, you know..." her eyes glazed over slightly as she looked off into the distance. She shrugged and looked down at her feet, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Anyway, this charity night will be so awesome, he won't need to be here for us all to have a good time." She squeezed her friend's hand encouragingly. "Right, Elena?"

Elena squeezed back, half-heartedly, and forced her mouth into a smile. "Right."

-/-

By the time the last stragglers had started to leave, it was past ten o'clock. Fat raindrops had begun to fall from the sky, and Elena wished she had brought a jacket. She was about to leave after helping Bonnie and Caroline pack up, when she noticed a figure leaning against a nearby tree trunk.

Elena took in the dark hair framing his face, his icy blue eyes, his black t-shirt with defined muscles underneath, the smirk playing across his lips. She sighed inwardly and jogged over to the tree, taking shelter under the thick branches.

She stared into his eyes defiantly, demanding, "Where's Stefan?"

Damon opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it again, changing his mind. He stopped smirking and breathed out heavily. "He's-" he looked at Elena from underneath his long lashes, "pre-occupied."

Elena couldn't help the exasperation that had settled into her voice. "And I guess he asked _you_ to take care of me?"

"Rightfully so," Damon answered, but he seemed distracted. He observed Elena's narrow shoulders dappled with raindrops, his eyes lingering for a second too long on her drenched, almost transparent dress. Confusion had settled into his features. He frowned, then slid his leather jacket off his shoulders. Avoiding her gaze, he offered it to her. "Here."

Elena tried to meet his eyes, but they were still focused on the ground. She shrugged and took the jacket. "Thanks."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her bite her lip. His mind filled with dirty thoughts but he fiercely pushed them away.

They stood in silence for a short while, until Damon's voice cut through the damp night air. "Let's get you into the warm," he said, and he ducked under the low tree branches into the rain.

Elena pulled the jacket onto her shoulders, and without thinking she sniffed the collar. Expensive aftershave, old leather- but underneath the lingering metallic scent of blood. She swallowed. She followed him.

Damon's Ferrari was waiting on the side of the road. Elena had never seen the car before, but she could guess how he'd acquired it. He was already waiting by the passenger's side, holding the door open as the rain lashed at his face. His eyelashes were dappled with raindrops, and his hair was spiking out in all directions. A soft smile played at his lips.

Elena ducked into the car wordlessly. He slammed the door after her and in a second he was in the driver's seat, smirking sideways at her. While he fiddled with the dials on the dashboard, he said, "You like my new wheels? A very pleasant young man offered them to me...well of course I had to-"

"Just drive, Damon," Elena replied through gritted teeth, as Damon turned the heating to full blast. Elena closed her eyes and sat back in the tan leather seat, letting the heat envelop her.

Suddenly, the engine leapt to life with an almighty growl. Elena couldn't help admitting that was a satisfying sound. As they pulled away, she could just hear him utter over the roar of the engine, "As you wish."

Five minutes later, Elena opened her eyes. Ahead, the car's headlights illuminated the giant fir trees that lined the road. She turned to Damon. His face was a mask devoid of expression, his eyes glued to the road as it wound through the depths of the forest. His arm muscles were tensed and more prominent than usual when he was driving, Elena noted. His hair was dry now, and a few strands had begun to fall into his eyes. Long eyelashes framed his eyes, which were clouded with... what exactly? Confusion, concentration, a combination of both- Elena wasn't sure.

She turned to look out of her window and let her eyes glaze over, the dark silhouette of the forest blurring past her. The downpour had now reduced to a drizzle, and Elena's eyes re-focused on the raindrops leaving trails on the tinted glass, when she noticed something stream past in her periphery.

She breathed in sharply. Not something, some_one_. She'd only seen them for a second- probably less- but she was sure who it had been. She had stared into those piercing green eyes, ran her fingers through that thick, dark hair...

"It's Stefan," she breathed. She repeated, raising her voice, "Damon, I saw Stefan. In the woods. You- you have to pull over!"

Damon's mask faded into a frown. He glanced sideways at Elena. "Stefan's at home. It couldn't have been him," he said, meeting Elena's eyes, hers russet brown and worried, his powder blue and unflinching. His chest felt tight as he stared into them. He tore his eyes away and looked back at the road.

Elena spluttered, "B-but...it was him, Damon, we have to turn around." She gulped, trying to summon some authority into her voice. "_Now._"

A chill was sent down his spine at the tone of her voice. Whether it was for his brother or for the girl he cared for most, Damon was not sure. His face was expressionless as he jerked the wheel and the car spun 180. Elena's body was thrown back into the seat. Her heart pound a tattoo against her ribcage.

She glanced at Damon, sans seat belt. His voice was steady as he asked, "Where was my little brother lurking?"

Her breath back, Elena said, "Just stop here. I'll go look." Elena could feel the car come to a stop. She fumbled with her seatbelt but Damon clasped her wrist in his iron grip. His touch jolted her with an electricity she could feel in her bones.

"_We'll _go look," he corrected her, his eyes wide and searching. Elena hadn't seem him look at her like this, like he wanted to protect her, all evening. In that moment, she knew that this was Damon, the _real _Damon, not the one behind the vicious mask.

He was at the passenger's side and opening her door faster than the human eye could see. She didn't break his gaze as she stepped out of the Ferrari into the light drizzle. He slammed the door behind her.

"Thank you, Damon," she said quietly. She couldn't stop staring into his eyes- his pupils seemed almost magnetic.

He smiled lop-sidedly in reply before disappearing into the forest.

Elena followed him.


	2. Two: Salvation

_I do not own any of these characters. It would be awesome if I did, though, because we'd hang out and break into abandoned churches and bitch about stuff together and...I could fantasize about these guys all day. But I won't, as I have a story to tell. And here it is.__ ^-^_

Elena had never liked the forest as a child, and the events that had played out in these trees over the past year had done nothing to reassure her of their safety. She quickened her pace to catch up with Damon. Elena couldn't believe she would ever admit this, but his presence was comforting to her. He felt like a beacon of reassurance in these otherwise unpredictable and perilous woods.

He felt her warmth next to him as they meandered through the black forest. He looked across at her when she wasn't looking. His eyes lingered on her pale, exposed neck. Damon knew the network of veins there off by heart.

Then his eyes wandered up to her lips- slightly parted, full, the colour of roses- and her hair- soft, silky, the colour of dark chocolate. At this very moment all Damon wanted was to feel those lips against his, to run his fingers through her hair. He was aching inside.

But she was intent on searching for Stefan. She needed him, and Stefan needed her. Her defiance was echoed in the setting of her jaw, her forehead creased in thought, her eyes swimming with worry. It's all for him, Damon reminded himself firmly. It's all for Stefan. Only your brother matters to her.

Damon wanted to scream at her, at Stefan, at the forest. He couldn't take this for much longer. The woods seemed to close in on him, almost taunting him. It took all the endurance and control he could muster to keep his voice steady as he said, "I don't think he's here. He must be at-"

"Stefan is here," she said. Damon could hear the suppressed anger in that one sentence. "Stefan is here, and I am going to find him."

Elena turned sharply west. Strands of hair were stuck to her face with a mixture of perspiration and rain. She peeled them away, her hands shaking. If it was any other human girl, Damon would seriously have considered leaving her here, but Elena was different. He couldn't abandon her in these woods, helpless and alone, while she searched for her love.

No, because _he_ felt alone, so desperately alone, despite Elena being a few steps ahead. Elena didn't want him. She had rejected him far too many times before for him to think otherwise...

Damon was struck with something. He could sense someone. The signal was weak but undeniable.

Stefan.

He focused harder, forcing his eyes closed. _Stefan Stefan Stefan Stefan-_

"Stefan?" Elena's voice was sharp in Damon's ears. It rang with uncertainty, confusion and, underneath that, hurt.

His eyes snapped open. Elena was crouched over a body lying on the ground. Damon advanced towards her, and when he came into view, he felt a _pang _inside him.

Stefan was unconscious. His head was bruised and his lip cut. Elena held his head in her hands, and she started to weep.

She tried to wake him, calling to him in choked sobs and shaking him. Desperately, she turned to face Damon, tears streaming down her cheeks. She gave him a glare that made his spine tingle. "He needs blood, Damon. Find me a sharp rock."

Damon wanted to refuse. He wanted to come back with a witty response, but none came. Reluctantly, he did as she asked, finding a rock at his feet, and after handing it to her, she made a large cut in her wrist. Damon winced at the size of the gash she had made but there was no stopping her now.

If there was one thing Damon had learnt about Elena Gilbert, it was that when she truly wanted something, she would get it- by any means. He pondered this as he watched her give Stefan her blood, pressing her wrist to his lips.

Stefan's eyes opened slowly. Elena's face broke into a smile that radiated relief. "It's okay, Stefan," she said. "I'm here." She looked back at Damon, her lips turning down at the corners slightly. A kaleidoscope of expressions passed across his face, far too quickly for Elena to differentiate them at all. "Let's take him home," she whispered.

Damon took this as hint to help Stefan into the car. The three figures stumbled out of the forest and towards the roadside where the sports car was parked. Onlookers would presume it to be a man and a teenage girl helping a drunk, beaten and battered from a fight, into their Ferrari. How misguided they were.

The back seats were tiny and very cramped, but Elena insisted on sitting there with Stefan. Damon took the driver's seat and peered into the rear view mirror. "Brother, try not to get blood on the upholstery, I only got this yesterday-"

"_Damon_," Elena warned, her teeth gritted and her eyes ablaze. Stefan gave a slight moan.

Damon didn't need a second warning. His eyes glinted as he accelerated away from the roadside. He kept silent as he listened to Elena reassure Stefan. Her voice was quiet and soft and full of knowledge, as if she knew exactly how to handle the situation. Damon wished Elena would talk to him like that at least once in his life.

He tried to keep his eyes averted from Elena's reflection in the rear view mirror, but it was almost impossible. Elena's face was torn with hurt, but underneath that he saw hope and a hint of optimism. She was especially beautiful like this.

Eventually Damon had to tear his eyes away. The Ferrari was rolling down the road that lead to the Salvatore house. He pulled up on the gravel drive. In less than a second, he was at Elena's door. He helped her carry Stefan out of the car; this time he was considerably stronger, Elena thought to herself, and something inside her lifted.

When they reached the door, Elena said, "You get the blood from the basement. I'll stay with him."

Damon realised, for the second time that night, that there was no questioning her. He nodded silently and kicked the door open. Elena rushed to the nearest sofa, lying Stefan down on it. She felt Damon brush past her. She hoped desperately that he would return quick and with an armful of blood packets.

She turned to face Stefan. A ghost of a smile played on his lips, which were dry and chapped. His eyes were rimmed with red, and he was gazing at something past Elena. She blinked and took a deep breath. "Tell me what happened. Everything."

Stefan's brow furrowed in thought. When he spoke, his voice was scratchy. "I...was in the woods, and-"

"Why?" Elena interjected, and her brown eyes were serious and staring.

Stefan gulped, his eyes darting to his chest. "Well, I have to hunt somewhere, Elena."

"Oh- I..." She tried to meet his gaze. She wanted to ask why again, like some impatient two year-old, but she decided against it. "Carry on."

"Someone came up behind me, and shot me with vervain, and then they did it again, and again..." His voice trailed off, and then his emerald eyes met Elena's. "I think they must have hit me around the head with something..." He tried to sit up, but Elena gently pushed him back into the soft leather of the sofa.

She smiled at him, but the corners of her mouth were turned down slightly. "Did you see who did it?"

Stefan shook his head. "It just happened so quickly. Once they vervain-ed me, I couldn't sense anything.."

Elena nodded, reaching up to stroke his chestnut hair. "We'll find out who did this, Stefan. I promise."

Elena heard footsteps behind her. She turned around, and her eyes met Damon's. He had three packs of blood in one hand and a half-empty one in the other. Elena stared at the half-empty one questioningly.

Damon chucked the three full packets to Elena, smirking. He held up the remaining one as if he'd just won it in a raffle. "Couldn't resist, Elena. Sorry." He squeezed some into his mouth and licked the excess blood from around his lips, his eyes wild with blood lust. "Besides, depending on the way you look at it...it's half full." He wiggled his eyebrows at Elena.

She met his eyes with a glare. Something passed between them, unspoken but undeniable. He glanced at Stefan, his smirk slowly fading into a frown. He swallowed and looked down at the floor. He had turned around and was ascending the stairs so quickly, all Elena saw was a blur.

Elena sighed inwardly. Damon was...unreadable. Stefan was easier to work out. Every time she looked at Damon, she felt a combination of fear, confusion...and a sense of danger. He was the unknown. In Trig, he would be _x. _He was an enigma.

Elena tore her eyes back to Stefan. She popped the top of the blood bag, bringing it to his lips. "Drink up," she said gently.

Stefan grasped the bag. He looked up at Elena, his eyes searching.

"Come on, Stefan. You need it. _Drink._"

He gave in. Elena started to watch the bag empty, before averting her gaze. She knew that he didn't like her watching him feed. Her eyes began to lose focus and she found herself yawning. The exhaustion from the evening had begun to kick in. She gazed at a small carriage clock on the table. It read 12: 23.

Her eyes lost focus again. She blinked slowly, bringing her head down to the arm rest of the sofa. Her cheek rested on the cool leather, she drifted into sleep.


	3. Three: Distrust

_I do not own any of these characters. It would be awesome if I did, though, because we'd hang out and break into abandoned churches and bitch about stuff together and...I could fantasize about these guys all day. But I won't, as I have a story to tell. And here it is. _

_This chapter's a long'un, folks. Please bear with me ^-^_

Elena woke up under soft Egyptian cotton sheets. Her eyes still closed, she turned over and snuggled into the duvet. She had been in this bed before. The feather-down pillow, the firm but comfortable mattress- this was Stefan's bed. She could almost feel his warmth next to her. She smiled sleepily and opened her eyes...

She was staring around a room that she had never been in before. Instinctively, she reached across the king-sized bed. It was cold.

Stefan wasn't here.

Her heart thumping a bit faster, she glanced around the unfamiliar room. There was a vintage dressing table to her right, but instead of being cluttered with make-up products and bottles of eau de toilette, it had two decanters. One of whiskey, and – she took in the container of dark red liquid, sniffing the air – one of blood. There were a couple of crystal glasses set out, one of which was half filled with whiskey.

A black leather jacket was flung on the chair underneath the dressing table. Curious, she climbed out of the giant bed and picked it up. The leather was worn soft. She brought it up to her nose and sniffed it tentatively. Expensive aftershave, old leather...Damon. It was Damon's jacket.

This was Damon's bedroom.

She turned around slowly, taking it all in: the panelled walls, the plush sofa underneath the large bay window, the golden fingers of sunlight reaching across the rug, the en-suite bathroom...

...and the doorway, in which Damon had appeared. Elena's skin broke out in gooseflesh, her blood turning cold. He was staring directly at her. His silvery eyes looked her up and down. There was something behind them that she couldn't quite place.

She looked down herself, and realised with mounting dread that she was still wearing her halter-neck dress from last night. It was dry now but the lower half was caked in mud. Her legs were criss-crossed with scratches that had turned a pale pink overnight. Her feet were sore and blistered. Elena dread to think what her hair looked like. She tucked a few strands of it behind her ear and swallowed. "H-how long have you been there?"

Damon's eyes darted to the floor. Ignoring the question, he said, "Get yourself cleaned up. Use the bathroom. I'll...get your clothes from Stefan's room."

Elena nodded. She saw him turn to leave, but stopped him short when her voice, brittle and hoarse, broke the silence. "Uh, Damon?" His eyes met hers, wide and icy. She shivered slightly, before continuing, "Thanks for what you did last night. For turning around. For helping me. And for all...this." She gestured towards the bed, praying he would understand what she meant.

Elena wasn't sure if he did. His face was unreadable. After a short while, he tore his eyes away and fled, leaving Elena stood in the middle of the room alone on the cold, hardwood floor.

-/-

Roughly towelling her hair with one of the fluffy bath sheets, Elena stepped out of the en-suite to find that Damon had laid some clothes out for her on the bed, not excluding underwear. She was delighted to see that he had chosen her favourite pair of Levi's. She threw them on, along with a floaty purple blouse, and looked in the full-length mirror opposite the bed. The shower had removed most of the evidence from the night before, although there were still scratches on her skin. She tugged at the sleeves of her top self-consciously. The blouse was one of Stefan's favourites.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of him as she descended the stairs. When she reached the hallway, she peered into the living room. It was immaculate and completely empty - except for Damon, who was lounging on the sofa, reading a book.

She was a little startled when he said, "I hope you're all clean and washed by now. Although...Cavewoman-Elena wasn't all that bad..."

Elena slumped onto one of the armchairs, her eyes rolling. The witty Damon was back. "No more Cavewoman-Elena," she said. She looked around the spacious room, before she asked him, "Where's Stefan, Damon?"

He sighed and bookmarked the page in his well-thumbed paperback. Elena eyed the cover: _Anna Karenina. _She didn't know Damon was into Tolstoy. But then again, she didn't know a lot about Damon at all.

"I have no idea," he replied, flinging his head back onto the sofa. "He must have taken off at some point last night."

"Taken off?" Elena repeated, her eyebrows flying upwards. She shook her head in disbelief. "That is unusual Stefan behaviour for sure."

Damon scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he stared into the fireplace. "If by 'unusual' you mean 'not moping around here all day', then yeah, tell me about it."

Elena looked at Damon, trying to catch his eyes. "We need to find him. I- I bet he lied about what happened last night." She stood up quickly, too quickly, and her head spun even more as theories flooded her brain. "I bet something terrible happened, and he's been forced to leave town-"

Damon stood up as well. His voice was firm. "No, Elena- you're over-complicating things. It was probably just-"

"Just what? A crazed gang that wants your brother killed? Someone who wants to wipe out all the vampires in town? Maybe a- a-"

Damon gripped her arm. She flinched, but didn't back away. He met her eyes with a pleading stare. Elena looked down at where his long fingers had wrapped themselves around her skin. A shiver was sent down her spine.

She gulped, still looking downwards. "I think we should speak to Sheriff Forbes about this. Something needs to be done."

Damon let go of her arm. His fingers had left red marks on her skin. He turned away, guilt flaring up inside him. He blinked a few times. Finally, he said, "_Fine. _I'll give her a ring." He folded his arms and stared back into the fireplace. "We probably need to let Alaric know too." His eyebrows were knitted together. He spun his lapis lazuli ring on his finger, deep in thought.

"And Bonnie," Elena added quietly. "In fact..." she turned around and started to make her way up the stairs, "I'll call her now."

Elena found her phone on the bedside table in Damon's bedroom. Her eyes widened as she read her notifications. Twelve missed calls from Bonnie.

Her hands shaking slightly, she dialled her number and waited. Bonnie picked up almost immediately.

"Elena, why haven't you answered my calls? And where the hell are you? I went to your house but you weren't there, and Alaric didn't know where you were either. And Caroline's missing too, and-" she paused for a breath, before she asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Bonnie. I'm at the Salvatores'. With Damon. Stefan's missing too," she replied. "How long has Caroline been gone?"

Bonnie's voice was fast and anxious. "I haven't seen her since last night. I left her at the charity event, then I went to see her this morning, but...she was gone. Sheriff Forbes is worried sick. She won't answer her phone." Her voice trembled slightly. "They're searching for her now."

"Stefan...and Caroline...both vampires...both vanish the same night...it seems a bit strange, don't you think?"

"Not just a bit, Elena. This is weird. Someone must have planned this."

They were silent for a while, when Elena suddenly remembered something. "Bonnie, can't you...I don't know...track them somehow? Find out where they are?"

Bonnie sighed. "It might not work, but...I guess I could try, at least."

Elena couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Bonnie. I know you can do it. It's just a question of the materials...what would you need?"

"Candles. _A lot of _candles, and...I'll take care of the rest." She paused to think. "I'll be round in five." With that, she hung up.

Before she could even put the phone down, Damon appeared in the doorway. His voice, harsh and taunting, sounded from behind her. "You think that _witch _is going to help us?"

Elena tucked her phone into the pocket of her jeans, turning around to face him. His eyes were narrowed, his hair tousled, his arms folded. His lips were curled in a smirk.

Elena lifted her chin up slightly. She looked him in the eyes and swallowed. She folded her arms too, mirroring him. "Yes...I hope so."

Damon sauntered closer to her, raising his eyebrows. He didn't stop until he was in touching distance of her. "I called Alaric," he said, and his eyes glazed over as he stared past Elena and into space. "He thinks it might be werewolves, but..." he rolled his eyes, and for a second they were wild and huge before he narrowed them again. "I think that's _highly_ unlikely."

Elena looked away. She found that she could never stare into Damon's eyes for too long. It was like holding your breath; after a while, it became too intense to cope with. Her forehead creased in thought. "Tyler would never let anyone harm Caroline," she thought aloud. "It couldn't have been them..."

There was a knock at the door. Damon reached it faster than Elena could comprehend. He opened the door and smiled at the short, dark-haired girl that stood there. "I don't _want _your cookies, Girl Scouts, unless they are laced with blood, and in that case, I'll..."

"Where's Elena?" Bonnie grumbled. She tried to push past Damon, but he was like a titanium wall blocking her from entering.

"She's inside, protected from your witchy juujuu-"

Elena was rushing down the stairs. "_Let her in_, Damon. She's only trying to help us," she said sternly.

Damon opened the door wide and moved out of the way. He followed Bonnie with his eyes as she walked inside, before turning to Elena. "Where's your sense of fun?" he whispered, his eyes widening, before he slunk after Bonnie into the living room.

Elena shook her head in silent disbelief. Damon was going to be far from co-operative today. Last night, Damon was willing, sensitive, even compassionate, but today, he was shrouded with a defensive arrogance that Elena found impossible to penetrate. It both irritated and fascinated her: how Damon could be helpful and understanding one minute then spiteful and menacing the next.

Elena entered the room to find Damon stood very close to Bonnie, inspecting something that was held in her hands. It was circular, small and silver. His eyes were blinking rapidly, his brow furrowed in concentration. Bonnie's eyes were clouded with confusion, her lips slightly parted in thought.

The helpless looks on their faces frightened Elena. "What is that?" she asked quietly, but deep down she knew what it was. She'd seen it before, touched it before, rotated it round Stefan's finger.

"Stefan's daylight ring," Bonnie said, her voice cracking on the last word.

Damon walked away from Bonnie slowly, his hands dug into his pockets, and sunk into the sofa. His elbows were on his knees. He propped his chin up with a fist. His eyes were wide and milky.

Elena's chest felt tight. Her stomach was churning. The words all came out in rush. "Why... why would someone do this? Where could they have taken him? And what about Caroline?"

"I'm guessing somewhere he won't be needing _this.._" Bonnie had walked over to the coffee table where Stefan's phone lay. She picked it up, her eyes wide as she inspected it. She switched it on and started searching through sent messages, until one caught her eye. "Hey...he sent a message to someone last night..." her voice trailed off. She frowned.

Elena rushed to her friend's side. "What was it, Bonnie? What does the message say?"

She fell silent as she stared at the words on the screen.

_I have Stefan. I'm on my way. _

-/-

"Can't you just try the spell one last time?" Elena asked wearily as she gnawed on her thumbnail.

Bonnie was sat cross legged on the floor, surrounded by candles. Suddenly, their flames all extinguished, and Bonnie opened her eyes. She sighed. "I don't think repeating it for the third time is going to make much of a difference," she said. "It's so strange...it's just a simple locator spell, and yet...it's almost as if something is blocking my powers-"

"Or some_one_," Damon cut in, his voice sharp. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, lost in thought. "I have a theory. I think whoever has Stefan has a little witch of their own, to counteract _this _one here." He gestured towards Bonnie, and when she frowned at him, he flashed her one of his thousand kilowatt smiles.

Bonnie turned towards Elena. "Look, I'm really sorry that all this didn't work," she looked back at the candles around the room, before turning back to her friend, her eyes full of concern. "But we have the phone, right? Someone sent a message last night from Stefan's phone...can't we find out who has the number that the message was sent to?"

"Sure, but...I don't know. What would we do? Demand they give us Stefan back?"

"Of course, and then we'd find out who it was, find out where they live, and wander right into their trap, getting ourselves slaughtered in the process," Damon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Seriously, I can always count on you guys to come up with the best ideas." He smirked, his eyes narrowed and crinkling at the corners.

Elena turned away, her arms folded. She could barely look at Damon right now. "What do you suggest then, Damon?" She raised her voice, and whirled around to face him. "If you're so good at making plans, what do _you_ think we should do?" She glared at Damon, whose eyes were flickering with rage. His jaw was set, his arms bent out slightly as if he were ready for battle.

Elena saw Bonnie wince at her tone of voice. She never had been one for confrontation. She coughed and before Damon could reply, she said, "I think I should leave. It's getting late, and-"

"I'll see you out, Bonnie," Elena replied in a monotone, her eyes still locked on Damon's.

Bonnie ducked out of the room and into the hallway. Elena followed. Before Bonnie left, she looked back at her friend. Elena avoided her gaze, her eyes on the floor.

Bonnie hated seeing Elena like this. Her eyes were rimmed with red from lack of sleep and tears, her body sagged with exhaustion- she ached at the sight of her.

She pulled her into a hug. She needed it, let's face it, Bonnie thought to herself. She smiled when she felt Elena wrap her arms around her waist. "Don't let him get to you," she whispered into her hair. "We can sort this out, I promise."

When Elena pulled away, her cheeks were tear-stained. She used her sleeve to wipe them away. "I know, I just...miss him so much, and Caroline too, and God knows who's going to be attacked next if this continues, and Damon..."

"I've seen the way he looks at you," Bonnie said, her forehead lined with concern.

Elena shook her head. "He's fine, Bonnie, he's on our side-"

"I didn't mean it like that," Bonnie whispered. Her brown eyes were wide and serious.

Elena rolled her eyes. She laughed, but Bonnie could hear that it was forced. "He's..." she glanced back into the living room, but he had vanished. She gave a small sigh as she turned back to face her friend. "He's just a friend," she finished lamely, her voice scratching on the last word.

"Do you trust him?" Bonnie asked.

Elena had known this question was coming. She racked her brain for a fitting answer, but none came. "I- I..." she stammered.

Bonnie shook her head slowly, biting her lip. She grabbed the door handle. "I thought so."

The door slammed behind her.


	4. Four: Delusion

_I do not own any of these characters. It would be awesome if I did, though, because we'd hang out and break into abandoned churches and bitch about stuff together and...I could fantasize about these guys all day. But I won't, as I have a story to tell. And here it is. ^-^_

_This one might be a bit Delena-ception...*epic Inception music intensifies* _

Damon was walking down a corridor lined with lockers. Flags and posters adorned the walls and classroom doors. _MYSTIC FALLS TIMBERWOLVES, MYSTIC FALLS HOMECOMING DANCE. _He didn't pause to read them. He let them swim past in his periphery.

Damon hated this place. He considered walking straight out the double doors soon approaching to his left, until he heard the screams.

Damon had heard numerous screaming girls in his life; many of those, in fact, had screamed just at the sight of him. But this was unlike any scream he had ever heard before. No...he was sure that this time, this girl was screaming for him. She wanted him, _needed _him. Only him. And each step he took jeopardised her chances of survival even more.

Somehow, Damon felt compelled to turn back and find this girl. He spun on his heel. This time, though, he knew exactly where to go. It was as if a force was driving him to this one girl's location. He was almost gliding along the corridor now, the lockers streaming past until they all blurred into one long grey strip. Suddenly, he came to a halt at a door. The metal sign on it was engraved with the word _POOL, _but Damon didn't bother reading it. It didn't matter what was behind the door: this was where the girl was and he needed to save her.

He flung the door open. As soon as he entered the room, the scent of blood assaulted his nostrils. He felt hunger flaring up inside him, but he refused to let it manifest itself. Behind the metallic scent was the familiar stench of chlorine. He took a few more steps inside, his shoes squelching on the blood-drenched floor. The once-white tiles were now splattered with dark red, like some sadistic child had been let loose with a bucket of blood and a paintbrush.

The pool, once filled with crystal water, was now brimming with blood. Damon spotted a few limbs floating in it, and a fleshy coiled chain that looked suspiciously like a human's intestines.

In the centre of the pool was the girl. Her face was so covered in blood that Damon could barely make out her features. Her long hair was sticking to her face. She was treading water, staying afloat- but only just. Damon could tell she was running out of energy as she gasped for air.

He rushed towards the edge of the pool and knelt down on the slick tiles. His Armani jeans were probably ruined, but he could think of nothing less important as he watched the girl's desperate flailing.

Without thinking, he stripped off his wet clothes, and dove head first into the thick liquid. He could feel the blood immersing his body and resisted the temptation to gulp it down. He reached for the girl, a shock running through him when he made contact with a shirt sleeve. He grabbed onto it as if his life depended on the damned thing. He reached the pool's surface, blinking blood out of his eyes. He was holding the girl in his arms.

He stared down at her scarlet face. Even though her features were concealed with blood, he knew her slender nose, her small, heart-shaped mouth. Her eyes, hazelnut brown, were wide open and glossed over.

Her body was still. Lifeless. He felt a lump forming in his throat as he closed her eyes, and with that, the image of her sleeping face faded away into darkness. Her name echoed in his ears as he came into consciousness. _Elena, Elena..._

Damon was awake. His head was pounding. His mind still filled with ghastly images from the dream, he looked down at himself. He was wearing the same clothes from the night before, and they were completely blood free. Relief flood through him.

He propped himself up with a pillow. He blinked. It all felt so real. Elena felt real, Elena...

_Elena._ He needed to see her, right this instant. He craved her warmth, her vitality. He knew it had all been a vivid nightmare, but he needed to be with her to stop that little voice in the back of his mind that doubted that.

She was sleeping in Stefan's room, just like he had expected. Damon watched her chest softly rise and fall. The action was so trivial to humans but he found it fascinating to watch.

The morning sun shone through the curtains, illuminating her face. Her delicate eyelashes sent thin shadows across her cheeks. The sheets were pulled to just below her waist. Her white tank top had rolled up slightly, exposing some of her smooth olive skin. Her silky hair was fanned out on the pillow like a halo. He noticed that her lips were curled in a small smile, and he couldn't help but wonder what she was dreaming about...

Elena felt warm. She opened her eyes to see Damon, who was grinning down at her. She was in Damon's huge bed, and her head was resting on his chest. Her hand was clutching a fist of Damon's black t-shirt.

"Good morning," he said, but his voice sounded far away and almost dream-like. "I hope you slept well, Elena."

She lifted herself up and off Damon's chest, rolling on to her side so that she was lying next to him. She breathed in deeply. Damon's scent was positively intoxicating.

She glanced at the clock; it was getting late. She tumbled out of the bed and crept across the hardwood floor. In a blink of an eye, he was right behind her, his arms snaked around her waist. His breath was hot on her neck. He kissed her softly there, and she laughed, drunk with lust and passion.

"Damon," she sighed, and his name felt like a prayer on her lips. She whipped around to face him, and closed her eyes. She grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt, pulling him even closer.

"Elena," he breathed in turn, and his lips came crashing down onto hers.

Elena felt his hands move slowly up her back, and electricity coursed down her spine. She wanted to be here in Damon's arms forever...

But he pulled away. He was almost slurring his speech. "Elena, I need some...blood...from the basement..."

Her eyes still glazed over slightly, she nodded and hurried down the stairs. She slowed when she reached the narrow staircase that lead to the basement. She would never tell Damon so, but she had never liked it down here. She always passed the empty cell with a sense of foreboding, dreading to think how many crazed creatures had been locked in there.

But today, the cell wasn't empty. As she walked past it, she saw a pair of green eyes staring at her through the bars. She could have sworn she'd just imagined it, but even so...

No, she told herself firmly. Damon would have told me if there was someone down there. Damon tells me everything.

She almost tripped on the cold stone floor in her haste to collect a blood bag and leave. On her way back up the stairs, she walked past the cell again, but this time, she wanted to be sure. She took a deep breath, peering through the bars...

The green eyes were closer now, and her heart beat a bit faster as the figure advanced towards her. He came into view, slowly but surely. His skin was grey and starting to wrinkle, his limbs were dangerously frail, his hair was chestnut brown and standing on end.

She screamed, dropping the blood bag. She stumbled backwards, and felt something squelch underneath her feet. Her body crashed into the wall.

She looked up. Damon was there, staring at the blood seeping out of the bag and onto the floor. "You know I don't like waste, Elena..." he said quietly, picking it up and sucking the remaining blood out of it. He swallowed when he saw her staring at the door of the cell in disbelief. His eyes were dark and wild. His fangs still retracted, he asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Elena woke with a start. This wasn't the first vivid dream she'd had about Damon, but it had shaken her like none other had. She rubbed furiously at her eyes, attempting to clear her mind of it.

But she couldn't. She couldn't help but question Damon's innocence now. What if he had done it? Bonnie was right- she couldn't trust him. So why had this dream scared her so much? She should have seen this coming. Damon was unpredictable, impulsive...he easily could have done this.

Elena swung her legs out of Stefan's bed. Still wearing the tank and shorts in which she'd slept, she crept across the room and gently eased open the heavy oak door. Damon was probably up and about, and the last thing she wanted was to bump into him now. She kept on telling herself that she had to do this. _It's now or never, _a voice taunted somewhere inside her.

But when she stepped onto the landing, he was nowhere to be seen. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief and hurried silently down the stairs. When she entered the living room, she found Stefan's phone still lying on the table, untouched.

She snatched it and switched on the screen. The battery icon flashed red at 5%. She swore mentally as she scrolled through his messages. She found it and, her stomach suddenly feeling emptier, dialed the number. She could feel the phone trembling in her hand, her palms growing damp.

After what seemed like hours of hearing the soulless dial tone, someone answered. Their voice was soft and lilting.

"Hello?"


End file.
